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Friday, February 3, 2012

The Daily Dress: Dior's Sheer Roses

I am so pleased you all are into the idea of a home decor series! But even more than that, I was thrilled that one commenter asked for more Daily Dress posts. I miss writing these suckers.

So let's jump back in with a very au courant frock: this sheer loveliness from the recent Spring 2012 Dior Haute Couture show. This is one of those shows that everyone kept asking me if I had seen: after all, it has '50s-inspired couture, horsehair braid, roses--all of my favorite things! I finally got around to checking it out online, and it does not disappoint. Of course, every review of a Dior couture show mentions the absence of John Galliano. I kind of miss that little jerk too, but I think this Bill Gaytten fellow is really finding his stride.

The dress pictured above is one of my favorites. On the surface, it's classic. The surplice bodice, kimono sleeves, full skirt, obi-style waist embellishment, and glorious rose embroidery are all straight out of the late '50s. It's pretty similar to this pattern I posted about last month, isn't it?

The twist in the Dior show was using sheer fabrics so the inner workings of each piece are exposed. These two detail shots (of similar dresses in the collection) show horsehair braid in the sleeves, and crinoline net underneath. (And boobs. I always feel sorry for the girl who has to wear the "edgy" see-through thing without a bra.)

I'm really loving the vintage-y waist drape. So perky!

I'm trying to incorporate something kind of similar into a design I've been working on, and I have a collection of vintage images as inspiration. A friend pointed out today that two current Vogue patterns have a really similar detail. First is 1108 by Bellville Sassoon:

I'm a big fan of sheer clothing ever since I bought a very Bettie Page-esque black sheer dress from Catherine Coatney [For £10 instead of £290 - bargain!]. I just find it so.. well, slightly saucy, in the most elegant of ways! And it's a great way to show off pretty knickers ;D

The waist draping is so beautiful, and I doubt that any shape will be left unflattered with such a silhouette!

What is that type of embroidery called? It's gorgeous!Really similar to couture lingerie by Carine Gilson a few seasons back. (Which is perfect inspiration for those of us that sew lingerie.)I would love to know if you can buy the embroidery done or how to do it myself. That dress would be gorgeous for summer - with a nude liner!Thanks for the inspiration!

I've missed the daily dress series, too! Which surprises me, I've never been a "fashion junkie", so to speak, but I love the way you focus on the construction, it makes it so much more interesting. I really like waist draping.

I hate full skirt on women. Very few have the figure to wear them well and if they are short they look like a member of a clogging group. happily the Dior is longer though on someone with ample hips it would not produce a pleasing silhouette.

I do love Bellville Sassoon and the new interest in 1950's fashion. Nostalgic fro me I guess. Many remind me of the subtle prom dresses I wore. Just fancy enough, tea length or just below the knee. These dresses are meant to be PRETTY and they appeal because that has been somewhat missing of late. While I am not a snappy dresser, I am done with the sloppy T-shirt thing. I even told some T-shirt dealers at a Con last year that the generic T-shirts were originally designed, sized, and made for men and were generally very unflattering on women. I did go through a T-shirt phase, but now they are all regulated to around the house.

I'm not a huge fan of sheer with nothing under it. That being said, I do like the shapes in the Dior collection--I really like that fashion, in general, seems to be returning to a more "feminine" silhouette.

The waist drapes are an interesting idea. For a long time I thought they might make us curvier girls curvy in the wrong places. But then I saw the promotional photos for Mad Men where Joan (Christina Hendricks) is wearing a GORGEOUS green waist drape dress very similar to the ones you posted. I. Love. It!

I love the sheer fabrics with embellishments, and I wish I had the boobs to wear it without a slip! I never thought of horsehair at the sleeves, but it's brilliant. Personally, I really like the full skirt with waist "device" because honestly it hides a lot of below the waist imperfections. Would love to see you take on it...

So many inspiring pieces in that show! I really liked the cute red and white houndstooth suit (but I am an Alabama girl). I see a lot of features I would like to try incorporating into my upcoming sewing and some that already exist in my current wardrobe.

Gertie, keep the Daily Dress coming. It keeps me current enough on haute couture trends without having to visit many fashion sites separately. You are my one-stop shop :)

Wow, thank you so much for doing a daily dress! I really needed a dose of inspirational eye candy, today, and you really provided. There is certainly lots of inspiration in the Dior show. I love the bold embroidery and the lines, and yes the waist draping.

I wish I wore dresses. Too much walking outdoors in the weather. Still, those are lovely.

And I'm glad to see that Home Dec will be making cameo appearances. I enjoy it. Why pay the $$$$ when you can get really nice fabric and still pay only $$ for custom home dec?

Have to admit though, that after matching patterns horizontally across three rooms on six 92-inch-long curtain panels (two were extra wide and had a vertical seam that had to match up} and then doing the sheers, I was a bit done with home dec for a while. I learned that roller shades plus sheers are the way to go. Ha!

I love the collectionl The combination of sheer fabrics and the detailing in both skirts and bodices is sublime! I also adore waist drapes on other people. I don't have much of a waist. I have to use optical illusion to create a waist. I still adore waist drapes on others. So feminine and fifties.

1. LOVE the Dior! 2. Like the Sassoon - gorgeous fabric. 3. The Unger looks ill-fitted/constructed and poor fabric choice. It might look better on someone with very-very broad shoulders, but not that particular model. 4. Can't wait for more "daily dress"! 5. Sheer is so wonderful to wear and look at, but so awful to sew. The challenge of sewing a straight line on most sheers prevents me from buying it. Perhaps a blog entry on sewing sheers?

Coming out of lurking to link another pattern that is similar, although less dramatic. I was just looking at it today, so this was good timing...It's a Michael Kors pattern.http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/v1176-products-11084.php?page_id=1156&search_control=display&list=search

Gertie - be careful of that bow. You almost have to tack it down so it looks like you've just tied it, but it's in one place. The problem, as I'm sure you have discovered is that the dang thing is so big, it can easy hide the waist. If the bow is just wrong it will make the waist look too big, or like one boob is too big or that there's a huge muffin-top on the bodice, but when it's right - it's a gem!

I loved this collection and the waist drapes are gorgeous! The show wasn't as extravagant as the Couture shows use to be with John Galliano, but it was a beautiful collection. I've blogged about the show too if you fancy taking a peek! XxxX http://thesecondhandrose.blogspot.com/

Thanks for the post. I do like that the new line is feminine and pretty. I am not a fan of the "look through my clothes and see my goods", however. Seriously, who dresses like THAT!Since I costume for theater, it is always wonderful when a modern line of clothing does a throw back. It makes finding costume pieces that much easier! And leads to sewing patterns in fuller figures!